USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1925 > Part 8
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COST OF BUILDING CESSPOOLS. The cost of building the cess- pools investigated has ranged from $30.00 to $100.00 apiece and
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averaged about $43.00. Overflows are extensively used to re- lieve the cesspools, and we find that about 45 per cent of the cesspools have overflow provisions. The cost of overflows for a cesspool installation has ranged from $25.00 to $50.00 and aver- aged about $32.50 ; allowing overflows for 45 per cent of the cesspools at $32.50 for each overflow, the average cost of each cesspool installation, including the overflows, has amounted to about $58.00. Present charges are, for a cesspool $50.00 and for an overflow $25.00; making the present cost of cesspool in- stallations amount to about $61.00 each, assuming 45 per cent to have overflows.
COST OF CLEANING CESSPOOLS. Our records show that insome instances cesspools have not been cleaned for periods of ten years or more, while in other cases they have been cleaned as frequently as once every month. On the average, cesspool installations have required about three cleanings every two years or a cleaning every eight months. The charge for cleaning is based on the number of loads removed and has been found to vary from $5.00 to $15.00, the cost for the average cesspool being about $12.00. On the basis of one cleaning every eight months, the annual cost of cleaning would be $18.00 per cesspool.
TOTAL COST OF CESSPOOLS AT SAUGUS. It is estimated that at least 80 per cent of the present population of the town or approx- imately 10,200 people, are provided with cesspools for the dis- posal of their sewage and domestic wastes ; assuming five persons per cesspool installation about 2,040 installations, estimated to have cost approximately $118,000, are required for this purpose .. The annual cost of cleaning these 2,040 cesspools at $18.00 each is about $36,700 ; the annual cost of cesspools is increasing each year due to the cost of constructing new cesspools and of cleaning additional cesspools.
The annual increase in the number of people using cesspools is estimated as 500 ; one hundred new cesspools would be needed each year to serve this increase in population, and the estimated cost of the new cesspool installations needed each year, at present prices is $6, 100. The annual increase in the cost of cesspool cleaning due to the increased population using cesspools is esti- mated as $1,800.
From the above figures; it is estimated that the total cost of cleaning cesspools, and of building new cesspool installations to accommodate the probable growth in population, will amount to about $44,600 in the year 1926 alone, and will in-
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crease each year by about $1,800. The figure of $44,600 is somewhat low for the cost of cesspools in 1926 because it takes no account of the cost of new cesspools which will be needed to replace old ones that fail to drain properly ; it is doubtful if the average useful life of cesspools at Saugus will exceed 15 to 20 years. The above figure of $44,600 is also somewhat low because it does not include an allowance for cesspools at the public schools or at business establishments. To provide annually a sum of $44,600, the estimated cost of cesspools in 1926, would require the investment of $992,000 bearing in- terest at 4g per cent ; or if this annual expense was to be met by the town rather than by the private owners direct, it would result in increasing the present tax rate by about $3.75 per $1,000 valuation.
NEED OF SEWERS AT SAUGUS
Wherever an abundant supply of water is furnished for household, manufacturing or business usage, ample means should be provided for promptly conveying the sewage and other liquid wastes of the community to a point of disposal remote from habitations, where the probability of nuisance and of danger to public health will be a minimum. Such a means of removing the sewage from a community is provided by the installation of a sewer system.
The lack of adequate means for the disposal of sewage and household wastes is not only an inconvenience and a nuisance, but a danger to health. At Saugus the lack of sewers has in several instances resulted in a direct financial loss, both to property owners and the town, by hindering the sale of land upon which there would have been erected considerable taxable property.
Besides the cases of cesspools overflowing upon the ground surface, which are very common, there are instances of the filth and wastes backing up from cesspools into the houses. Over- flow drains in some cases have been built from cesspools into the streets and at times when the ground is frozen the liquids from the cesspools work out from these drains upon the street surface and into the gutters. Several owners of business property in Cliftondale alone have been obliged to spend sums of money amounting to considerably more than their share of the cost of a sewer system, in order to provide for the disposal of their sewage and wastes ; and at best, the provisions which they can make are of only a very temporary nature.
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The owner of a new moving picture theatre at Saugus Center, near the railroad station, was obliged to purchase an additional lot of land at a cost of $450 in order to have room to build a cesspool .. Had there been a sewer available the cost of connecting to it would have been but a fraction of this amount.
At the high school where there are about 1,000 pupils cess- pools failed to operate properly, and an overflow drain has been constructed between the cesspools which permits the sewage liquids to escape into a nearby street drain ; this drain dischages into an open stream only a short distance away from the school.
Sewage from the Town Hall and other buildings about the square is discharged into a large cesspool scarcely 200 yards from the Town Hall on Woodbury avenue. The overflow from this cesspool escapes as an open stream, eventually reaching the Saugus river. Woodbury avenue is used each day by many people going back and forth from across the river to the square.
At "Golden Hills", where wells supply the water and where cesspools and privies are used for the disposal of sewage and household wastes, the limited lot areas and the apparent ease with which the wells may become polluted cause one to wonder that an epidemic has not already occurred there.
At "Little Italy," so-called, the general level of the ground is only a few feet above tidal waters and the ground water level is very near the surface of the ground, which condition is decidedly unfavorable for the use of cesspools and results in the overflow of cesspool liquids upon the ground surface. An epidemic originating here might easily spread to other parts of the town.
Saugus has been fortunate in its health record to date but this does not warrant a feeling of security ; it would do well to con- sider the records for Cranston, Rhode Island, which is the only city in that state that has no sewer system. Records of death rates recently compiled by the Rhode Island State Board of Health for the cities and towns of that state are given by the dia- gram, page R-14. This diagram shows that the total death rate for Cranston was approximately 70 per cent greater than for the average of other cities of the state, all of which had sewers ; or the towns of the state which had sewer systems. The diagram also shows that the typhoid death rate for Cranston was about 30 per cent greater than for Central Falls, which had the largest typhoid rate of the remaining cities ; Cranston's typhoid rate was about 63 per cent greater than for Providence which used the
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same water supply as Cranston, and about 73 per cent greater than for Newport which had the lowest typhoid death rate of the Rhode Island cities.
Experienee has shown clearly that where a municipality has not adequate provisions for the disposal of its sewage and other domestic wastes an epidemic may develop at any time ; it is false economy to delay necessary public health measures until an epi- demic has taken place.
Eventually Saugus will find itself obliged to follow the exam- ple of other growing communities and install a sewer system. Each year's delay in building sewers will add materially to the expense of repairing permanent street pavements, if permanent paving is permitted to precede the construction of sewers ; each year's delay also adds about $6,100 to the investment in cess- pools which will be abandoned with the installation of sewers ; each year's delay may also place difficulties in the way of reaching a favorable agreement with the City of Lynn for the use of its outfall sewer works.
VALUE OF A SEWER SYSTEM TO SAUGUS
Good public health is a valuable municipal asset and depends to a large extent upon the proper disposal of human wastes, which in one form or another are to a considerable degree the original source of infectious disease. A modern sewer system provides an adequate means of removing the human wastes from homes and business establishments and is, therefore, a valuable factor in maintaining good public health.
At Saugus Center considerable trouble has been experienced from ground water, which stands so high that it is a serious hindrance in the construction of cellars and basements, some- times making necessary special water-proofing provisions to keep them dry when completed. The construction of sewers where such ground water conditions prevail requires the use of underdrains to lower the ground water level. Ground water also finds its way into the sewers through pipe joints, regardless of what precautions are taken to exclude it. It is quite probable that the construction of sewers will have a material effect in lowering the ground water and by so doing be of distinct advantage to future building operations.
The installation of municipal sewerage works at Saugus to replace the cesspools would also eliminate the dangers to health which are ever present where cesspools are used, it would do
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away with the pollution of the river and other streams by pro- viding in their stead a proper utility for the removal of sewage, it would by reason of improved sanitary conditions attract new population and encourage the development of new property, thereby tending to promote business prosperity and increase real estate values ; it would place the town in a much more favorable position to compete with other nearby municipalities for its share of the residential growth of this section.
MODERN SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
In considering the problem of a sewer system for the town and in reviewing the conditions which govern the design of a sewer system, it is well to have clearly in mind the distinction between the two kinds of sewer systems and a storm drainage system. There are at the present time three distinct types of systems in common use for the collection of sewage, and storm and surface water, namely : (1) "Separate Sewers", often called Sanitary Sewers, (2) Storm Drains and (3) Combined Sewers.
(1) "Separate Sewers" are intended to receive only domestic sewage and liquid industrial wastes without the admixture of storm or surface water. They are generally of smaller sizes than either storm drains or combined sewers because the volume of sewage and industrial wastes to be provided for from a given area is usually much smaller than the volume of storm and sur- face water which should be provided for from the same area. Storm and surface water should not be permitted to enter "sep- arate sewers," because this practice will cause the sewers to be- come overloaded and sewage will then be forced back into the houses or will overflow upon the street surface, leaving filthy accumulations there.
Separate sewer systems are generally built where sewerage facil- ities are necessary and funds are limited, provided that provision for storm water can be postponed ; separate sewers are also built where pumping or treatment of the sewage is required and where it is necessary to keep the cost of operating the system at a mini- mum. Such is the case at Saugus.
(2) STORM DRAINS are intended to carry off storm water and surface water. They are needed where the flooding of streets, cellars, and low lying areas as a result of heavy storms will cause damage to property or will be a menace to health ; drains are sometimes provided to remove stagnant surface water which
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would otherwise afford excellent breeding places for mosquitoes. It is not necessary to carry all storm and surface water to a com- mon point for disposal ; under favorable conditions it may be discharged into nearby water courses.
If funds are not available to provide both separate sewers and storm dains it is unquestionably advisable that the separate sewers should be built first.
(3) COMBINED SEWERS are intended to receive not only domestic sewage and industrial wastes but also storm and sur- face water, thereby fulfilling the requirements of both separate sewers and storm drains. The quantity of sewage is usually negligible in comparison with the quantity of storm and surface water and in consequence the capacity of a combined sewer is based entirely upon the estimated volume of storm and surface water.
In the present case the cost of a system of combined sewers would be much greater than the cost of a separate system, and the cost of pumping storm and surface water would make operating costs excessively high.
The requirements at Saugus are such that a system of separate sewers should be adopted, and the matter of storm drains and combined sewers need not be further considered in this report.
CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SEPARATE SEWER SYSTEM
The planning of a sewer system is governed to a large extent by the location of natural drainage channels and by the relative elevation of the various parts of the town. Main and sub-main sewers are usually built to follow the low lands and valleys where they can drain a maximum area by gravity ; these larger sewers must be built as the initial part of any sewer system, in order to provide an outlet for the lateral sewers which generally serve higher and more developed areas. Main and sub-main sewers are an incentive to the development of desirable areas adjacent to them.
The growth in population of a community generally demands the expansion of municipal improvements and provision of modern utilities to serve the additional areas which must be developed to satisfy housing requirements. In permitting the development of new areas it is well for the municipal authorities to carefully consider whether the location of the area and its proposed street and lot layout is such that proper utilities can
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be provided for the preservation of satisfactory sanitary condi- tions ; without such provisions a serious situation is very apt to result. Street improvements are demanded as a convenience and public necessity, but it is not economy to spend large sums for extensive street improvements until proposed underground utilities have been installed. Important among these utilities is sewerage.
Good engineering practice, as well as good economy requires that sewers be built of ample size to meet conditions which may develop within the life of the bonds by which the sewers are financed. Sewers built only large enough for present day needs would soon have to be replaced by new and larger structures. The General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 44, Sections 7, permit a city or town to incur debt within its debt limit for the construction of sewers, provided this debt is retired within a period of thirty years. The proposed system of sewers planned for Saugus should therefore be designated adequate to serve the town as it may be expected to develop by the year 1955. It would be a serious mistake to fail to provide for future condi- tions in planing permanent structures of this kind.
In planing for the future, a careful forcast must be made of the extent and distribution of population, the amount of water consumption and its bearing upon the quantity of sewage, the quantity of industrial waste and the possible establishment of new industries, and the location of present and future business areas; these various factors all have a direct bearing upon the quantity of sewage which a system of separate sewers must be designed to carry.
In planning separate sewer systems, it is desirable that the sewers follow routes by which the sewage will reach the site of treatment or disposal as rapidly as possible, thereby keeping the sewage fresh and in a much less objectionable condition than stale or septic sewage. It is also essential to so plan the sewers that the main sewers first constructed will serve as much area as possible.
The entire sewer system should be planned as a complete unit and then if local needs require that some sewers be built before others, this can safely be done with the assurance that when all sewers are finally completed they will form a well balanced and coordinated system.
In general the sewers should be planned to fit the natural topography and the layout of streets, they should also be planned to serve a maximum area of the town, they should be adequate
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for the future growth and development of the town, and should be adapted to permit their extension to newly developed areas as conditions may require.
NATURAL DRAINAGE AND TOPOGRAPHY. By far the greater part of Saugus, including communities of East Saugus, Saugus Center, Cliftondale, North Saugus and Golden Hills, has a natural drainage outlet through the Saugus River and the branch streams emptying into it.
Most of the built-up section of East Saugus drains directly to the Saugus River or to the low marshy areas easterly cf Lincoln avenue. An area surrounded by Lincoln avenue, Winter street and Central street is very rugged and irregular; the northerly, easterly and southerly portions of this area can be drained toward Winter street and partly toward Lincoln avenue, whence the sewage would reach East Saugus. The westerly portion of this area slopes toward Central street and its natural drainage outlet is through Cliftondale. Saugus Center is quite flat and fairly regular ; a small portion of it drains to the Saugus River but by far the greater portion drains to the creek and subse- quently to the river. Except for Baker Hill and the hilly area between Essex and School streets, Cliftondale is quite regular ; it slopes toward the west and north draining through local streams and the creek to the Saugus River. Cliftondale is somewhat higher than Saugus Center. North Saugus includes an area which is part level and part rolling. The natural drain- age outlet is through streams and Pranker's Pond to the Saugus River. North Saugus and Cliftondale are at about the same general elevation. Lynnhurst is somewhat higher than North Saugus ; it is naturally within the watershed of Birch Pond, but its sewage can be diverted to upper Central street within the Saugus River watershed. Golden Hills is somewhat higher than Lynnhurst ; it is a rugged area with a natural drainage outlet through streams which discharge via Pranker's Pond to the Saugus River.
The remaining portions of the town are decidedly rugged and are practically undeveloped; in general these areas all slope to valleys which drain into the Saugus River.
SAUGUS-A GROWING SUBURBAN COMMUNITY
Saugus consists of several communities which are somewhat separated, but with the continued growth of the town, they will expand to form a single community covering a large area.
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PLANNING BOARD REPORT. 129
Saugus is bounded on the north by Lynnfield, on the east by Lynn, on the south by Revere, and on the west by Melrose and Wakefield, and lies only about eight miles northeast of Boston. As adequate transportation facilities enable workers to commute to Boston as well as to Lynn, Saugus is suburban to both cities.
There are several industrial establishments but these employ only a small fraction of the workers of the town; for the most part Saugus is a residential community and present indications are that it will continue to grow as a residental suburb of Bos- ton and Lynn. The present population of the town is about 12,750 and its total valuation is nearly $11,900,000.
The town has a good health record which is due perhaps to the fact that its population is distributed over a large area ; but it is reaching a stage where improved utilities for sanitation must be provided if it is to maintain its good health standard.
POPULATION, PAST AND PRESENT. The growth in popula- tion of Saugus has been carefully studied as a basis for forecast- ing its future population. Data collected in making this popu- lation study are shown graphically by the diagram page R-24. The heavy full line on this diagram represents the growth of Saugus; the town's growth is also given in the following tabulation :
POPULATION OF SAUGUS, MASS. 1890 to 1925 inclusive.
Year.
Population
1890
3,573
1895
4,497
1900
5,084
1905
6,253
1910
8,047
1915
10,226
1920
10,874
1925
12,743
The population of the town has shown a continual increase for each census from 1890 to 1925 inclusive. The rate of growth from 1900 to 1915 was materially greater than the rate from 1890 to 1900, but from 1915 to 1920 there was a decided decrease in the rate of growth as compared with the rate for the preceding fifteen years. This retardation is attributed to the temporary shift of population caused by the world war and the activities contingent thereto. From 1920 to 1925 the rate of
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growth slightly exceeded the rate for the 15 year period from 1900 to 1915.
Saugus has not grown to the size of some of the nearby muni- cipalities which are more accessible to Boston; these munici- palities have grown rapidly, absorbing the increasing population of Greater Boston until at the present time such cities as Somer- ville and Malden are almost fully developed and Medford and Melrose are rapidly reaching this condition. There is a grow- ing tendency for people to seek homes in Saugus and other com- munities equally near to Boston ; this tendency toward residental growth in Saugus is strengthened by the fact that the town is also suburban to Lynn.
FUTURE POPULATION. Numerous factors have a bearing upon the future growth of a municipality. In forecasting future growth consideration must be given to a town's past growth, its natural advantages, its nearness to larger municipalities, its industrial and commercial activities, its health record, its muni- cipal improvements, and the state of its municipal management and finances.
The forecast of Saugus' future population is governed by the fact that the town is largely residential in character, and it is assumed that it will remain so during the future period con- sidered in this investigation. It is possible, of course, that industrial establishments might locate in Saugus, and this would materially accelerate its rate of future growth.
The present forcast of future population is made to cover a period of thirty years, this period having been established by the General Laws of Massachusetts as the time limit within which debt incurred for the construction of a sewer system must be paid.
The diagram on page R-24 shows the past population of Saugus from 1890 to date, and the growth in population of several other suburban municipalities of somewhat similar character, since the date when they had the same population as that of Saugus in 1925 ; the growth of the several municipali- ties after reaching Saugus' 1925 population has been carefully considered in forecasting the future population of the town. If Saugus was to experience a growth similar to that of Melrose and Weymouth, a population of about 21,000 might be expected in 1955 ; if it grew at the more rapid rates followed by Malden, Medford, Arlington, Quincy, and Newton, its 1955 population
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might reach at least 35,000 or 40,000. If Saugus was to grow at a rate equal to the maximum five year rate experienced during the period 1890-1925, it would have a population of about 23,500 in 1955, as shown by line (2) on the diagram. If the growth continued at its average rate of growth during the past 35 years the population would be about 20,500 in 1955, as indicated by line 3. The minimum five year growth occurred during the period 1915-1920; if the town grew at about this rate it would have a population of only 16,500 in 1955, as shown by line (4).
Saugus is well suited for future growth as a residential com- munity. It embraces large areas which are at present undevel- oped, and its built-up area is but thinly populated, there being many attractive building lots available. The town has good transportation facilities both to Lynn and Boston. Its future growth may be materially affected by the industrial prosperity of Lynn. All these facts have been considered in arriving at the forecast of future growth, which it seems reasonable to prophesy for Saugus. This forecast is shown on the diagram by the heavy full line, designated as LINE I, which indicates a population of 28,000 people in 1955. We believe that this forecast is reasonably safe for use in the design of a system of sewers; it would doubtless be considerably too low if extensive industrial developments were to take place within the town.
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